Media release

Thursday 7 June 2007

7% growth in number of Auckland cyclists

The first comprehensive monitoring of cycle trips across the Auckland region shows a 7% growth in the number of cyclists across Auckland city in the morning peak since last year. A similar study carried out last year by Auckland City Council demonstrated a 6% increase in the number of cyclists in the morning peak between 2005 and 2006.

The cycle monitoring was carried out for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority[1] in March this year. More than 9,000 cyclists were counted travelling through 69 intersections chosen by the region’s seven city and district councils during the morning and evening peak.

The monitoring also counted the number of bikes at 60% (108) of the intermediate and secondary schools across the region. The most popular school to cycle to in the region, with one in three students (34%) cycling to school each day, was Belmont Intermediate on the North Shore. Overall, an average of 2% of the regional school population surveyed cycle to school. When combined with regional census data, this monitoring shows that at least 14,000 cycle trips are made to and from work and school each day across the region[2]. 

The busiest intersection was Tamaki Drive and The Strand where 900 cyclists were counted. Fifteen of the top 20 busiest intersections where monitoring took place were in Auckland city.

The data is the first comprehensive set of cycling data collected region-wide using a methodology originally developed by Auckland City Council. ARTA expanded the methodology for 2007 to include sites across the entire Auckland region. Every cyclist who travelled through an intersection was recorded. Whether they were wearing a helmet, where they were riding (on the road or on the footpath) and whether they were an adult or child was also recorded. These manual surveys also coincided with a series of automatic counts of cyclists at five locations around the region, which enables daily average cycle traffic figures for the Auckland region to be calculated from manual count data[3].

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) says the monitoring provides a valuable baseline to track progress towards a goal of 100% growth in the number of cycle trips by 2016.

ARTA’s General Manager of Strategy and Planning, Peter Clark says, “This is an important year to collect data about cycle trips around the region, as we embark on a $100 million programme of improvements to build over half the region’s cycle network by 2016 to encourage more Aucklanders to cycle.

“At the moment, 1% of trips to work and 2% of trips to school are by cycle. This data provides a solid base to prioritise improvements to double that figure by 2016.

“Cycling is better for the environment, great for health and fitness and, for many shorter journeys, it is very often faster to get there by bike than by car,” says Mr Clark.

ARTA approved Auckland’s first Regional Cycle Network Map, a master plan of new cycle routes, at the end of last year. The map was developed collaboratively with Auckland’s local councils and comprises over 900km of connected routes with new cycling infrastructure and upgrades of existing infrastructure designed to make cycling a safer and more attractive travel choice for Aucklanders.

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